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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22711492">Candy Hearts and Love Notes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackKittens/pseuds/BlackKittens'>BlackKittens</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Big Hero 6 (2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Getting Together, Secret Admirer, Sweet, Valentine's Day</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:09:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22711492</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackKittens/pseuds/BlackKittens</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Honey Lemon has a secret admirer who leaves her love notes and candy hearts every day of February leading up to Valentine's Day. But who could her secret admirer be?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fred | Fredzilla/Honey Lemon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Candy Hearts and Love Notes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I tried a few new things while writing this, like focusing less on emotions and more on actions. Sometimes I feel like the way I write can bog a scene down too much, so I'm testing the waters in the other direction here. Hope it turned out okay.</p><p>I was looking for some Honeyzilla to read while writing this and found a fic I had read before, Saucy by punk_rock_yuppie. I think that fic subconsciously inspired this fic lol. Go check it out if you like the pairing! It's really good. Anyway, happy belated Valentine's Day!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>February 1st</strong>
</p><p>When Honey Lemon first found the box of candy hearts on her work desk in the labs, a sticky note taped to the front, she blinked in surprise and picked them up curiously.</p><p>After reading the note, she giggled and blushed, flattered.</p><p><em>Roses are red, violets are blue, I totally have a crush on you!</em> it read in hastily scrawled letters. <em>You're the sweetest woman on campus (probably in the whole city) and I can't help but have ~fallen~ for you. I've finally gotten up the courage to confess, but I decided it would be more romantic to play secret admirer, no? So every day leading up to the fourteenth, I'm going to leave you a candy heart (here's a whole box to start off!) and a little love note! And then on Valentine's Day, I'll tell you who I am. :)  I hope you like them! (P.S. If you find this creepy or don't want me to do this, I'll stop.)</em></p><p>Honey Lemon had never had a secret admirer like this before. Sure, boys used to leave love notes in her locker in high school every now and then, but they all either signed their names or revealed themselves shortly after. Two weeks of some anonymous person leaving her love note after love note, and her favorite Valentine hard candy, candy hearts? It sounded so sweet, and like so much fun!</p><p>She giggled to herself again and went to store the box of candy away, so it wouldn't be contaminated by the chemicals she was about to break out.</p><p>This was going to be neat. If her secret admirer wanted a date out of her, they were off to a good start.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 2nd</strong>
</p><p>The second love note wasn't attached to a box this time. Rather, it was left sitting on her work desk, a single, white candy heart holding it down. In pink letters, the candy heart read, 'Melt My &lt;3.'</p><p>Honey Lemon picked up the unprotected candy heart between two figures in slight dismay; no matter how clean her area was or well stored her chemicals, she wasn't about to trust any food left on a table dozens of dangerous and toxic chemicals had spilled on in the past. It was a shame, too, because she had finished half the initial box throughout the day yesterday - they really were her favorite.</p><p>She hoped her admirer would understand. It wasn't really smart to leave food in the labs anyway, much less in her space.</p><p>Honey Lemon picked up the note in her other hand, and grinned upon reading it.</p><p>
  <em>You melt my heart every time you smile! It's as bright as the sun - especially with your blonde hair and when you wear yellow - you look like a sun! I can't not melt under your smile, because you shine so bright it's hard not to.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Okay, I'm sorry this is terrible so far but I've written this eight times now, and what I WANT to say is that your smile is very beautiful and I can't help but smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you do. I love seeing you happy, excited, or proud of yourself. It does melt my heart.</em>
</p><p>Honey Lemon placed a hand on her chest, quietly awing. Her secret admirer had tried, she'd give them credit for that, and she couldn't say she wasn't pleased with the second paragraph. It was so nice of them.</p><p>"What'ch ya got there, Honey Lemon?"</p><p>She craned her neck around as Fred sauntered around the wall dividing her work area from Wasabi's, hands shoved in his pocket and blue eyes sparkling.</p><p>Honey Lemon did her best not to blush.</p><p>Honestly, she had a bit of a crush on Fred. He was a funny goof who tried to convince their whole group of friends to make an endless list of science fiction projects for him, but he was a positive, energetic, and extremely caring goof who also was their biggest cheerleader in their endeavors, even if he didn't usually understand the complete science behind them. He was a very genuine person, and she liked that about him. Liked that <em>a lot.</em></p><p>She had no idea if he liked her back, though; probably not. Fred had never displayed any sign that he was interested in her, so Honey Lemon hadn't gotten her hopes up. She doubted this secret admirer of hers was him - it was probably some guy or gal from the chemistry department she shared classes with. Honey Lemon was bisexual and that was a known fact, so she wasn't going to speculate on their gender. But even if it was a guy, it likely wasn't Fred, unfortunately. But whoever it was, if they kept on like this, she was definitely willing to give them a chance and see where it went. Just because Fred didn't like her back didn't mean she was going to pine for him forever.</p><p>(Though it would make <em>her</em> heart melt into a goopy puddle if it were Fred behind these love notes and candy. Oh, that would be a dream...)</p><p>Snapping out of her thoughts quickly, Honey Lemon handed him the note. "I've got a secret admirer, remember? I showed you guys the first note and candy yesterday. Here's today's."</p><p>"Oh yeah! You did tell us about that." Fred laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing with light embarrassment. His eyes scanned the note. "Huh. Not very poetic, the top part. They must have been in a rush or something. I liked the spin on the 'roses are red' line from yesterday."</p><p>"It's all right," Honey Lemon waved it off as of it was nothing. "They don't have to be poetic. It's the thought that counts. Besides, how honest they are at the bottom is what really got me - it's so kind! No one's ever told me they like my smile like this!"</p><p>Fred smiled at her. He handed her back the note. "Well, they're right."</p><p>Honey Lemon's breath caught in her throat. Before she could process that, though, and try to decipher if it meant anything, Fred had already moved on.</p><p>He inspected the candy heart between her figures with a finger pressed to his chin. "Hey, it matches the note! Neat. I wonder if all the candy is going to match, like a theme! Reminds me of this one book report - I have a book report discussing the themes of Hamlet and Macbeth due on Friday! Drat!" Fred grabbed the sides of his hat and yanked them down his ears In sudden distress. "I can't believe I forgot about that! I need to work on that. Anyway, yeah, you think it'll be a running theme, the candy hearts matching your notes?"</p><p>"Uh," Honey Lemon thought a moment. "Maybe? I don't know. It's too early to tell."</p><p>"Well," Fred hopped on each foot. "I bet it will! Or not. I don't know either. Either way, I gotta go work on my assignment. My European lit professor will flay me alive if I don't hand in a paper that's more than six pages. By the way, you gonna eat that?"</p><p>He pointed to the candy heart.</p><p>She shook her heart. "Too much risk of contamination. Food shouldn't be anywhere near my chemicals."</p><p>Fred's face and shoulders fell, as if crestfallen. "Oh," he replied sheepishly. "Sorry. Uh, maybe tomorrow you'll - Never mind, I don't know what your secret admirer has planned. Anywho, No Fear Shakespear here I come!"</p><p>With that, Fred was on his way back to Wasabi's station, leaving Honey Lemon alone wondering what that was about.</p><p>She wasn't going to get her hopes up, though.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 3rd</strong>
</p><p>The third note and its respective candy wasn't left on her work desk or table this time, to Honey Lemon's disappointment that morning. She hoped her secret admirer hadn't gotten cold feet and given up. She wished there was a way she could tell them how much she appreciated their efforts. Did they even know she was happy to receive their notes and candy? It wasn't as if she had gone singing and dancing in joy across the campus the past two days. Other than her friends, who she had told, did anyone know about her secret admirer and what she thought of them?</p><p>When she got back to her dorm that night, however, her roommate snickered and hugged her.</p><p>"Someone stopped by to leave you a present," she said, jerking her thumb towards Honey Lemon's bed. "I'm not telling you who~ But they must really like you, Gabriella."</p><p>There her love note was, lying on top of her blanket, today's candy heart next to it.</p><p>She beamed. "Thank you so much for letting them in!"</p><p>Sometimes she wondered why her roommate was only a loose friend of hers - sure, their schedules clashed too much and they hardly saw each other throughout the day, but this got Honey Lemon to kiss her roommates's cheeks, who laughed and playfully batted her away.</p><p>"Go on, read it," she encouraged teasingly. "They're <em>over the moon</em> for you, Gabby."</p><p>The candy heart was green and read, 'XOXO.'</p><p>
  <em>I first met you freshman year and was AB-SO-LUTELY enthralled by you. You put me under a spell, I swear! I love how perky and nice you are, how UTTERLY AWESOME all your projects turn out to be, and you're so beautiful. I daydream a lot about you being my girlfriend. I don't know if I'm good enough for you because you're so out of my league, but I honestly don't understand how more people haven't fallen for you. You're so amazing. (P.S. I realized how dumb it was to leave unwrapped candy near your chemicals...hopefully your roommate agrees to let me leave them at your dorm for you!)</em>
</p><p>Her roommate giggle-snorted. "Someone's got it bad for you."</p><p>Honey Lemon's chest fluttered. "I know."</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 4th</strong>
</p><p>"Gogo! Gogo, look!"</p><p>Honey Lemon nearly crashed into her friend as she met her at the foot of the robotics lab stairs.</p><p>"Hold your horses!" Gogo admonished, catching her before she could tumble them both down onto the concrete. "What is it?"</p><p>"My secret admirer!" Honey Lemon gushed. She held out her candy and today's note. "Read them!"</p><p>Honey Lemon waited anxiously as she did. She felt like she already knew the words by heart, she'd read them so many times over in the last hour.</p><p>Today's candy heart was pink and said, 'You Rock!'</p><p>
  <em>You know, you rock my heart like you rock your high heels. - That was corny, but no less true! I wasn't kidding yesterday about how awesome your brain is to come up with and do all those chemistry projects! You're so smart, I love it! And your fashion sense is gorgeous. I love that you make your own clothes, too; I've seen your boutique online and it's incredible! Is there anything you can't do? Don't answer that, I already know - Nope! You're a seriously hard worker who accomplishes everything you set your mind to and I'm in awe of it.</em>
</p><p>"Wow," Gogo stated flatly, "your secret admirer is really laying it on thick to butter you up."</p><p>Honey Lemon grabbed her bicep. "It's so sweet! They get better every day! They like my heels - you know I can't stand people who make fun of my height or act like it's weird how tall I am - they like my brains and projects, my fashion, and they said I'm a hardworker who can do anything - !"</p><p>"Yup, that's what the note says."</p><p>" - I can't wait to meet them!" Honey Lemon enthused. "If they showed themselves right now, I'd <em>so</em> go out with them!"</p><p>"I thought you had a thing for Fred?" Gogo questioned.</p><p>Honey Lemon slumped a little. "I do. But if he's not into me, what can I do, right?"</p><p>She nodded, understanding. "Right. True enough. So, you're falling this hard for somebody you don't know after four days? You sap," she smiled jokingly.</p><p>Honey Lemon chuckled. "I guess I am one. Valentine's Day is coming up, though, can you blame me? Besides, I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic at heart."</p><p>Gogo nodded once more. "I got that. Well, I can't wait to find out who he or she or they are on Valentine's Day. Hope they don't turn out to be some creepy stalker."</p><p>"Gogo!" she scolded.</p><p>Gogo laughed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to ruin your fantasy. But if they are a stalker, the guys and I'll beat 'em up for you."</p><p>Honey Lemon rolled her eyes.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 5th</strong>
</p><p>"So today's was simple, huh?" Tadashi reiterated, biting a piece of tape off the band.</p><p>Honey Lemon nodded from her place in his lab chair, watching him tape down another red ribbon she'd given him to Hiro's card with interest.</p><p>She was an only child so she couldn't relate to Tadashi's sibling experiences with his little brother, but for all she knew about siblings from TV and other people, she found this sort of odd. Apparently, Tadashi planned to give his little brother the mushiest, gushiest, gag-worthy, gaudy Valentine's Day card in the world, pretend it must be from his own secret admirer, and then at the bottom of the inside of the card, reveal it was actually an incredibly mushy, gushy, gag-worthy, and gaudy <em>platonic</em> card from his very loving older brother.</p><p>"It'll be great," Tadashi had explained to her earlier. "He hates pink. Hates <em>everything</em> pink. I've got all the shades from bubblegum to hot pink here. And he says he hates romance, but last week I caught him blushy and awkward at the arcade because a girl who beat him at Just Dance smiled at him. My brother, flustered over a girl! He's going to be so disgusted and overdramatic about how gross the card is - and it'll be gross, I can promise you that - but he'll think some girl likes him and try to pretend he's not all flustered again. Except there's nothing <em>inherently</em> romantic about the poem I wrote inside, and I signed it at the very, very bottom in tiny letters as, 'Signed, your ultra loving, super caring, mega overbearing big brother Tadashi who LOVES you oh so much, Hiro!' And I put five hearts next to it. He's gonna hit me, it'll be great!"</p><p>"Do you really want him to hit you?" she had asked, perplexed.</p><p>"I want to get on his nerves," he'd replied absently. "Don't worry about it, he's making something dumb for me, too; I've been bugging him too much about the arcade girl for him not to. It's what we do."</p><p>Siblings in general were odd, Honey Lemon had decided.</p><p>"He's not going to think the girl from the arcade sent him the card, is he?" she had also asked.</p><p>"What? No; she barely knows him. The poem I wrote inside says the sender has known him for years. I would never pretend to be a real girl to Hiro, that's going way too far. The set up to this joke is that he'll<em> assume</em> a girl sent it to him when in reality, it was his <em>loving</em> older brother being a <em>loving</em> older brother and that's it."</p><p>"Ah."</p><p>Siblings were definitely odd.</p><p>Nonetheless, Tadashi had listened to her talk about today's secret admirer business as he taped the red ribbons she'd brought him to Hiro's increasingly growing ugly card.</p><p>The heart candy had been yellow and read, 'Too cute.'</p><p>
  <em>You're so cute while you're studying in the library, chewing on your pencil eraser. You're so cute while you're working in the labs, fluttering from one beaker to the next like a butterfly. You're so cute while you cackle at a failed project that blew up in your face because it was still fun! You're just so cute.</em>
</p><p>"I did like it," she admitted. "It being 'simple' or shorter than the last couple isn't the issue. You think I know this person that well? Gogo brought up a stalker yesterday and I mean, they could go to the library, too, and probably work in the labs, but..."</p><p>"Oh yeah," Tadashi replied as absently as before. "They do. Kind of. You know 'em."</p><p>Honey Lemon shot up, back straight. "You know who they are!?"</p><p>He suddenly stiffened. His cheeks burned red before her eyes. Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Oops. Wasn't thinking there. Uh, yeah, I do know them. Trust me, if a stalker was after you, Gogo, Wasabi, and, um, Fred and I would go after them. We wouldn't play this game with them. It's definitely innocent, if that's what you're afraid of."</p><p>"I'm not afraid," Honey Lemon pointed out. "I was just thinking. They seem to know a lot about me, but I don't know if I even know this person's name."</p><p>Tadashi kept rubbing his neck and bit his lip. "You do," he informed her.</p><p>Honey Lemon stared at him. She pursed her lips. "How well do I know them?"</p><p>"Enough you won't be creeped out when they tell you who they are."</p><p>"How do you know that? How well do <em>you</em> know them, Tadashi?"</p><p>He sighed, letting his hand come to a rest at the nape of his neck. "Enough that I trust them, all right? I'm not going to tell you who they are. They told me about their plan in the strictest confidence, all right?"</p><p>Honey Lemon reluctantly relaxed. Okay. Tadashi would never allow any of them to get hurt, so she'd trust his word. She hadn't been panicking yet anyway, just...giving the idea some thought. She really didn't know who this person was, after all. But if her secret admirer was this close to Tadashi... Well, not for the first time, she wondered if could maybe be Fred.</p><p>She pushed that thought away. No, she wasn't going to get her hopes up. It wasn't fair.</p><p>"If you say so."</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 6th</strong>
</p><p>Honey Lemon found the sixth note and candy sitting on her pillow when she came back from class.</p><p>The heart was orange and said, 'Love Bug.'</p><p>
  <em>You first gave me the love bug a year and a half ago. I don't know what you did or where it came from, but one day I looked up and realized I had the massive-ist crush on you. I probably did since freshman year, only I didn't realize it yet. I've been in love ever since! I already can't wait for Valentine's Day to tell you. (Even if it kind of makes me feel like throwing up - but that's why they call it a love bug, right?)</em>
</p><p>Although throwing up was not romantic in the slightest, Honey Lemon knew what they meant and smiled at the confession. A year and a half ago, huh?</p><p>She couldn't wait until Valentine's Day either.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 7th</strong>
</p><p>The next piece of candy was purple and said, 'Angel.'</p><p>
  <em>You're such an angel for all that you do for everyone. You listen, you care, you help. It's one of the biggest reasons I've fallen for you, I think.</em>
</p><p>Honey Lemon blushed.</p><p>Again, her thoughts soared to Fred - he was twice as nice as she was, with his frequent charity work and willingness to be the first person one could lean on in troubled times. That was one of the biggest reasons she liked <em>him.</em></p><p>It couldn't be him, though, she reminded herself. Focus on her secret admirer. They were making her heart race with each note. They were the one she should focus all her attention on.</p><p>Valentine's Day was only a week away.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 8th</strong>
</p><p>Today heart was a light blue and read, 'Forever.'</p><p>
  <em>If it turns out you don't like me back, that's fine; I'll get it if you end up not wanting to go out with me. I'll leave you alone. But I think I'll love you forever anyway. You're too good of a person and smart and wonderful for me not to. Whoever does get you - me or somebody else - will be the luckiest person in the world.</em>
</p><p>Honey Lemon's cheeks burned hard.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 9th</strong>
</p><p>Honey Lemon saw that today's candy heart was another green one that read, 'Be True.'</p><p>
  <em>If you do like me back and go out with me, I'll be true to you! I'll always be honest and treat you right and will be the best boyfriend you could ever ask for.</em>
</p><p>She raised her eyebrows. So it was a guy behind all this...</p><p>No, she forced herself to stop. It wasn't Fred.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 10th</strong>
</p><p>The heart was yellow and had 'Wicked Cool' written on it.</p><p>
  <em>Of all the fantastic and amazing stuff that gets created at SFIT, yours 'blows' me away the most! Get it? 'Blows,' since your stuff blows up a lot. Haha :) Seriously, your chemistry skills are wicked cool and I love that mad scientist flare you've got going on under that sweetness of yours. Maybe someday you can sit me down and show me for real how it all works?</em>
</p><p>Honey Lemon grinned. She loved it when people were interested in her work. Especially her explosive work.</p><p>Also to note, her secret admirer couldn't be one of her fellow chemistry majors then, if they wanted her to show them how her projects worked. She truly did wonder...</p><p>Stop, she told herself fiercely. It wasn't <em>him. </em>He didn't like her back.</p><p>Somewhat disheartened, Honey Lemon wondered if she was setting herself up for disappointment when Valentine's Day came and it wasn't Fred behind all this, no matter how much she (wanted to believe) reminded herself that it wasn't.</p><p>Could her heart beat for two instead? Even if one wasn't into her? Was this fair to her secret admirer?</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 11th</strong>
</p><p>"What do you think, Wasabi?" Honey Lemon moaned to him in the student lounge as they studied for a shared class together. "Should I call this all off? How would I do that? Scream it in the middle of campus and hope he hears me?"</p><p>Wasabi glanced up from his notebook. "Didn't you say Tadashi knew who it was? Can't you ask him to tell him?"</p><p>"Oh, right. Forgot about that for a minute." She pulled her legs up to her chest. "It's only...the idea that it's Fred doing this is always in the back of my mind. That's not good. What's going to happen on Valentine's Day if somebody else tells me they were my secret admirer? What if they read my disappointment on my face!? I don't want that to happen, it would be so mean! They've been so sweet, I can't do that to them! - Him!" she corrected herself.</p><p>Wasabi gave her a sympathetic look. "I mean, I guess you're going to have to figure out how to deal with your feelings for Fred. How long have you liked him?"</p><p>"A year."</p><p>"How <em>much</em> do you like him?"</p><p>"...A lot."</p><p>"I see," he mused. "Well, if you think it'll interfere with whatever relationship you have this guy, maybe you shouldn't go out with him. On the other hand, maybe this is what you need to get over Fred. You do like this new guy, don't you?"</p><p>"Absolutely!" she nodded vigorously. "I do. Which is why this is so hard."</p><p>Today's love note and candy heart had been dampened by her conflict. She couldn't get up as much spirit as she used to when she saw the white heart that read, 'Charm Me,' or the notes that said,</p><p>
  <em>You've got me charmed. My palms are sweating waiting for Valentine's Day. I can't stop thinking about you. At all.</em>
</p><p>"You've gotta figure out for yourself what you want," Wasabi advised. "If you don't believe you can do this because you're crushing too hard on Fred, then don't. You could try telling your secret admirer you need more time to think it over."</p><p>"Yeah, I could," she agreed quietly. "Gah, I hate that this happened while I have a crush! It would be so much more fun and easier if I didn't."</p><p>He patted her back. "I got you."</p><p>She smiled weakly. "Thanks, Wasabi."</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 12th</strong>
</p><p>Tadashi texted her on the way back to her dorm room. Or, more accurately, Tadashi's phone texted her.</p><p>
  <em>Yo this is the infinitely cooler Hamada, not the nerd. You're Tadashi's chemistry friend, aren't you?</em>
</p><p>Hiro, Honey Lemon suspected, had nabbed Tadashi's phone to ask her how to mix laxatives into chocolate without giving it away via the taste and what sort of laxatives to use. As if Honey Lemon knew that off the top of her head. Siblings were <em>definitely</em> weird. Well, Tadashi was her friend and she hadn't met Hiro yet, so she told him she wouldn't know about that. Hiro didn't answer back, and she assumed deleted the messages so Tadashi wouldn't find them.</p><p>In her dorm, she discovered the next candy and note.</p><p>The heart was pink and read, 'So Fine.'</p><p>
  <em>Your body is so fine! I've told you before how beautiful you are, haven't I? Have I said gorgeous yet? Hot? Alluring? Irresistible? Stunning? What a knock out you are? Because you are SO fine!</em>
</p><p>Despite herself, Honey Lemon giggled.</p><p>She really liked this guy. She hoped she wasn't going to pine over Fred forever, no matter how wonderful <em>he</em> was. Kind, caring, generous, enthusiastic, fun to be with... Yet it wasn't meant to be. He'd never shown the slightest interest in being more than friends. This guy, however, was quickly worming his way into her heart.</p><p>Maybe Wasabi was right. Maybe a relationship was exactly what she needed to get over Fred.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 13th</strong>
</p><p>Speaking of whom, was with her the day she found the next candy heart and note.</p><p>In a rush for a test worth a quarter of her grade, Honey Lemon had forgotten all of her other books and notes for her morning classes in her dorm. Fred had offered to come help gather them with her.</p><p>"I've never been in your dorm before," Fred noted brightly as they sped walked through the hall.</p><p>"I've never seen your room either," she absently replied, too preoccupied for a real answer.</p><p>When they got to her dorm, the door swung open in front of them. Backpack over her shoulder, Honey Lemon's roommate did a doubletake. Then she snickered and hugged Honey Lemon.</p><p>"Have fun!" she teased on her way out. "Your daily love letter is on your bed!"</p><p>Honey Lemon was too stunned at that reaction to demand to know what that meant as her roommate disappeared down the hall.</p><p>Fred stiffened. "Oh, you...haven't gotten your secret admirer's note and candy heart yet?"</p><p>"No," Honey Lemon admitted quietly. "I - I haven't. Hold on!"</p><p>Fred waited at the door as she scurried inside and threw herself at her bed.</p><p>The candy was blue again. It read, 'Te Amo.' Spanish this time.</p><p>
  <em>It might be way too early to say I love you, but honestly...we know each other super well. I'm not some stranger that's been watching you from afar. I love you, Gabriella Velazquez. This is like the one Spanish phrase I know that doesn't actually mean something else. I love you.</em>
</p><p>Honey Lemon reeled her head back. That was...bold. That was really bold.</p><p>Not a stranger. They knew each other super well. He loved her?</p><p>The one Spanish phrase he didn't have to be corrected on.</p><p>Slowly, she turned her head towards the door.</p><p>Fred was shooting his eyes everywhere but at her, scratching his head. His face was as red as an apple. "So...about your books."</p><p>Honey Lemon's heart leapt to her throat. "It is you!" she screamed. "You're my secret admirer!"</p><p>He jumped, startled. The terrified expression on his face was more than enough to give it away.</p><p>"Dang it!" he exclaimed. "I knew that was too much! I should have saved it for tomorrow like I wanted! But no, I had to do it today, and I had to be stupid enough to come to your room with you!"</p><p>Honey Lemon gaped. She couldn't believe it. Fred - it was actually Fred all along!?</p><p>"Hold on!" she repeated. "Wait a minute! You don't like me! You've never shown that you like me!"</p><p>He froze and stared at her. "Well, yeah. It was a secret."</p><p>Honey Lemon felt like the biggest fool out there. So much for exceptional intellect.</p><p>"I wasn't sure if you liked me either," Fred avoided her eyes. "Tadashi was the one who encouraged me to go for it when I told him I had this idea last month. He's the only one that knew I liked you. I - I probably wouldn't have done it without his encouragement. I didn't wanna bother you or - or make you think you had a stalker. Do girls really like the secret admirer thing or is that only a TV thing?"</p><p>Honey Lemon struggled to find her voice. It came out weak and small. "I liked it."</p><p>They stared at each for a minute, both wearing big eyed, scared expression.</p><p>Then they both broke out laughing at the awkwardness.</p><p>"Oh my god!" Honey Lemon hunched over and grabbed her stomach, covering her mouth with her other hand. "I can't believe this! All this time I've been telling myself it wasn't you and wondering what my secret admirer would think if he found out, yet here we are! It WAS you! Fred, I don't believe this!"</p><p>"Neither do I!" he held onto his chest through his laughter. "So you knew it was me all along?"</p><p>"No! I just <em>wanted</em> it to be you!"</p><p>He grinned big. "Yeah?"</p><p>"Of course! I've been crushing on you for a year! You're like - an amazing guy, Fred," she forced out, the words scrambling too much in her brain for her to list all the endless reasons she liked him. She tried anyway. "You're one of the nicest guys I know, you're always helping others, you do charity work, you cheer all of us on through our projects, you - you always have a shoulder ready for anyone to cry on, and you're handsome, too, you know."</p><p>"Gogo says I'm a hobo," he pointed out.</p><p>"You're not a hobo," Honey Lemon argued. "You - AAHH, I wish I could say all the incredible things you've been saying about me these past two weeks! I feel the same way, okay? Exactly the same as you do for me. I - I love you, too, Fred."</p><p>His face fell and then lit up. Honey Lemon had never seen him so happy before.</p><p>Fred threw out his arms and raced over to hug her in a squeezing hug. "I love you! Haha, I love you, Honey Lemon! Gabriella! I love you so much! This is actually real, hahaha! Not a dream! It worked!"</p><p>She giggled in his arms. Pushing lightly on his chest, Honey Lemon gazed down at him.</p><p>Without more than a second of looking into each other's eyes, Fred leaned up and they kissed.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>February 14th</strong>
</p><p>"So you two are boyfriend and girlfriend now, eh?" Gogo asked, looking pointedly at how the couple held hands on the café table.</p><p>"Yup!" Fred confirmed gladly. He picked up their hands and kissed Honey Lemon's knuckles, making her giggle. "I'm the luckiest guy alive."</p><p>Honey Lemon detached her hand so she could throw her arms around his neck from the side. "And I'm the luckiest girl!"</p><p>Gogo wrinkled her nose. "You're sappy is what you are. But I'm happy for you both," she smiled.</p><p>Wasabi nodded. "So am I. Who knew it really was Fred behind the love notes and candy after all?"</p><p>"Tadashi did," Fred told him.</p><p>"I can't believe you told him and not us," Gogo folded her arms. She leaned back in her chair. "No fair. We would have kept the secret."</p><p>"I don't mind," Wasabi shrugged. "When Honey Lemon came to me for advice, I wouldn't have known what to say without spilling the beans."</p><p>"Speaking of Tadashi," Honey Lemon piped up, "where is he? He promised we could finally meet Hiro today!"</p><p>The gang had gathered at the Lucky Cat Café for lunch. Tadashi had told them the food was on him, and hey, they could meet his little brother if they wanted. Hiro had graduated high school last year, so he would be home.</p><p>So far, however, neither had shown up. Their Aunt Cass, who was a lovely woman in Honey Lemon's opinion, had said they were upstairs last time she saw them. If she weren't so busy with the Valentine's Day rush for her holiday themed dishes, she'd yell upstairs to them. As it was, she assured them they would be down soon.</p><p>In the meantime, the others were eating and talking about a certain two's new relationship.</p><p>"We should go upstairs and drag them down here," Gogo suggested.</p><p>"No!" Wasabi refused, appalled. "What if they're getting dressed!?"</p><p>"At 12:46 in the afternoon?" she asked, picking up her phone for the time.</p><p>Before anyone could respond to that, a harsh, growl-like yell sounded through the ceiling, followed by hooting laughter, which was followed by quick footsteps. Several café patrons looked up in bafflement.</p><p>In the other room, Tadashi came running down the stairs. A heart shaped box was launched at his head, hitting the back of it and falling down on the bottom step.</p><p>Tadashi laughed to himself. He bent down to pick up the box and walked out into the café, smiling wide.</p><p>"Hey, guys!" he greeted. "Sorry about Hiro. He's embarrassed that I love him so much, so he's staying upstairs. You'll have to meet him another time."</p><p>Gogo planted her chin her palm. "Did you seriously give him that ugly card?"</p><p>"With all the love in my heart," Tadashi chuckled. He pulled up a chair. "I think he secretly liked it. By the way, Honey Lemon, can you do a lab check on these chocolates he gave me? I know he put something in them."</p><p>Honey Lemon glanced at the box. "Sure. Laxatives."</p><p>He gave her a bewildered look.</p><p>"Hiro stole your phone and texted me to ask if I was your 'chemistry friend' and if I could tell him how to put laxatives in chocolate without changing the taste."</p><p>He burst out in a grin. "That little - What a sneak! Told ya he'd do something to me, too."</p><p>Wasabi shook his head in disgust. "You guys are something else."</p><p>Tadashi only smiled. "So, Honey Lemon and Fred finally got together," he changed the subject. "I thought today was supposed to be the day Fred confessed. What happened?"</p><p>"Honey Lemon caught me yesterday," Fred explained. "I came to her dorm with her to get her books and stuff, only I hadn't realized she hadn't gotten yesterday's candy and note yet."</p><p>"And I put it all together that it had to be Fred," Honey Lemon added. "His face helped."</p><p>"Good for you guys," he cheered. "It's about time! And to think, these two over here didn't believe you were pining so hard for each other this whole time."</p><p>"We didn't know <em>Fred</em> was pining," Wasabi amended. "Honey Lemon told us about her crush. Fred kept quiet to everyone except you."</p><p>"To be fair," Fred interjected, holding a finger up, "the more people that knew, the more likely one of you might have blabbed to her by accident!"</p><p>"I almost blabbed to her," Tadashi inserted casually.</p><p>Fred spun around on him in betrayal. "DUDE!"</p><p>"It was an accident! I didn't end up telling her," he defended. "I only let her know you weren't a weird stalker and I knew who you were."</p><p>Fred pursed his lips, but didn't argue further.</p><p>"What about today's love note?" Wasabi inquired, moving on. "You gotta at least tell us what today's plan was."</p><p>Honey Lemon turned to Fred. "Yeah! What were you planning, Freddie?"</p><p>He scratched his cheek, flushing. "Uh, I was going to give you a piece of candy that said, 'Date Me' and ask you in person if you'd go out with me. Get all the questioning and junk out of the way, too. Honestly, I wasn't sure how romantic it'd be to walk up to you with the note and heart, but uh...yeah, that was the plan."</p><p>"I kind of wish we'd been able to do that," she sighed wistfully. She squeezed his hand. "I am glad we're together, though! This has been the most interesting Valentine's Day of my life! Thank you, Fred."</p><p>She kissed his cheek.</p><p>He smiled wide. "Happy Valentine's Day, Honey Lemon. My <em>beautiful,</em> amazing girlfriend."</p><p>The other three playfully pretended to gag, but the two of them were too enamored with each other to notice.</p><p>It certainly was a great Valentine's Day this year.</p>
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